1. Field
Provided is an apparatus and method for estimating blood pressure using variable characteristic ratios.
2. Description of the Related Art
Blood pressure is used as an index of the health condition of a person. Apparatuses for measuring blood pressure are commonly used in medical institutions and at home. The United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) determines the standards required for apparatuses for measuring blood pressure, specifically the FDA requires blood pressure measuring apparatuses to comply with the requirements of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (“AAMI”). The American National Standards Institute (“ANSI”)/AAMI SP10 issued by the AAMI offers specification details, and safety and performance requirements for the blood pressure measuring apparatuses.
In order to measure systolic blood pressure, pressure is applied to stop the flow of blood through a site where arterial blood flows. The pressure is then slowly released and the pressure at which an initial pulse sound is heard is the systolic blood pressure. A diastolic blood pressure is the pressure where the pulse sound disappears. Digital hemadynamometers calculate blood pressure by detecting a waveform corresponding to a pressure measured while pressurizing a blood vessel.